Engine



Patented Oct. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE ENGINE Application November 14, 1931, Serial No. 574,963

14 Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to the cylinder headgconstruction of sleeve valve engines provided With one or more reentrant cylinder head portions adapted to depend Within the engine cylinder or cylinders.

Some difIiculty has been experienced in the manufacture of engines of the aforesaid type in accurately centering and positioning the re- JO entrant cylinder head portion in the engine cylinder. Experience has shown that exceedingly great care must be taken in assembly to prevent the reentrant cylinder head portion from tilting in the cylinder and in production this diilculty is more pronounced in vieW of the fact that the heads are usually bolted or otherwise secured to the cylinder block in such a manner as to give rise to tilting of the reentrant cylinder head portion if care is not taken to applya uniform pressure to the securing means. Furthermore, some diiculty has been experienced in machining cylinder heads having projecting plug portions that are adapted to depend Within the engine cylinder on assembly due primarily to the difculty in accurately machining the under face of the cylinder head. An object of my invention is to facilitate .the production manufacture of sleeve valve internal combustion engines of the aforesaid `3o typel Another object of my inventionis to provide a sleeve valve engine structure employing a cylinder head having plugs depending Within the engine cylinders and lclosing the open end thereof by providing a cylinder head structure composed of separate header and plug portions, said plug being supported and located Within the cylinder bore independently of the header portion. Y A For a more detailed understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing which rillustrates one form which my invention may assume, and in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional View through a sleeve valve engine constructed in accordance With my invention and taken substantially on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view thereof taken Substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

`In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a sleeve valve internal combustion engine Which in general comprises a cylinder block 10 having a plu- (Cl. 12S- 75) rality of cylinders 11 in each of Which a sleeve valve means 12 operates, these sleeve valve means each being provided with intake and exhaust ports 13 and 14 respectively cooperating with cylinder intake and exhaust ports 15 and 16. The cylinder block is provided with a jacket portion 17 through which a cooling medium is adapted to be circulated.

It Will be obvious that my invention is not limited to exclusive use with a single sleeve H5'- valve engine as herein illustrated since the principles of my invention may be incorporated iisn engines other than the single sleeve valve Ype- In the illustrated embodiment of my inven- T0. tion the cylinders l1 are enlarged adjacent the upper face of the cylinder block, this enlarged bore of each cylinder forming a pilot 18 and a seat 19, said pilot and seat being substantially circular and concentrically arranged with re- 'Z5 spect to the cylinder l1. A plug 20 is adapted to be assembled with the engine and associated With the engine cylinder, said plug closing the open end of the cylinder and being provided With a downwardly open combustion chamber 2l and this plug preferably carries a spark plug 22. The plug 20 is provided with a jacket portion 23 through which a cooling medium may be circulated in a manner as hereinafter described. The plug 20 is provided with a radially 85. enlarged or extended portion 24 adjacent the top face thereof, this enlarged portion forming a pilot' portion 25` and the shoulder 26 adapted to respectively cooperatively engage the cylinder pil-ot and seat 18 and 19. Thus, when the plug 90 is assembled to the cylinder the radially reduced portion 27 of the plug is accurately centered Within the cylinder and spaced from the Walls thereof to provide a sleeve pocket for accommodating the upper portion of the sleeve valve means 12.

The top face of the plug 20 is constructed to lie substantially flush with the top face of the cylinder block and the jacket portion 23 communicates with the openings 28 Which open 10g through the top face of the plug. Similarly the jacket portions 1'7 of the cylinder block communicate with openings 29 which open through the top face of the cylinder block as illustrated in Fig. l. In order to secure the plugin the cylinder, means are provided for clamping the same in such a Way as to rmly engage the shoulder 26 with the seat 19. 1n the illustrated embodiment of my invention this is accomplished by providing a header 30 having a jacket 1m portion 31 which is constructed to overlie the cylinder block and plug. The header is preferably provided with a at continuous machined bottom face and the bottom face of this header is constructed to cooperatively engage with the plug for clamping the same in place. I preferably provide a gasket structure 32 intermediate the header and cylinder block, the gasket being provided with suitable openings 33 which are arranged in registration with the openings 28 and 29 and also with the openings 34 in the header which communicate with the jacket portion 31. The header 30 is preferably secured to the cylinder block by means of bolts or other fastening devices 35 and due to the fact that the gasket 32 may slightly yield any inequalities in the upper face of the cylinder .block with respect to the upper face of the plug are taken care of in such a manner as to not cause the plug to tilt with the cylinder when the bolts 35 are tightenedr on securing the header to the block.

'Ihese bolts or fastening devices are preferably designed and constructed to withstand considerable loading, and in fact a large factor of safety is provided for by employing a multiplicity of such fastening devices. The explosion pressures developed within the combustion chamber 21 are applied outwardly of the cylinder and areY resisted by these bolts which secure the headerto the cylinder block. Due to the fact that the yieldable gasket 32 is interposed between the header and plug there may be a` tendency for the gasket to compress, thus permitting the shoulder 26 to unseat with respect to the seat 19 and this may permit tilting of the plug with respect to the cylinder which may cause the sleeve to bind in the sleeve pocket during the operation of the engine. In order to prevent this movement of the plug with respect to the cylinder, I preferably employ a nut or plug 36 which is externally threaded and screwed into the internally threaded socket 37 carried by the header 30. This nut or plug 3G is adapted to be tightened down and the bottom or end face 38 thereof is adapted for direct thrusting engagement with the top face of the plug 20 and thus the explosion pressures applied to the plug 20 are transmitted directly to the lheader 30 through the agency of this nut or plug 36. I preferably do not wish tol restrict my invention to an arrangement which employs a nut or plug adjustably carried by the header for locking the plug 2O in place, since;` in many instances it may not be necessary t provide such a construction.

It will be noted that the header.v is secured tol the block and cooperatively engages the plug 20 inwardly of the pilot portion 25. The pressure thus exerted by the header on the plug for seating the shoulder 26 on the Seat 19 is thus preferably localized and applied radially inwardly of the pilot portion 25 and thus theapplication of this pressure does not tend to lock or tilt the plug with respect to the cylinder as does previous constructions in which the pressure is applied outwardly of the pilot portion 25. c

The header 30 ispreferably provided with a longitudinally extending partition wall 40 (see Fig. 2) for dividingv the jacket portion 31 into an intake jacket portion 41 and an outlet jacket portion 42. In Fig. 1 I have illustrated by means of arrows 43 the general direction of yiiow of the cooling medium which is circulated through the jacket portions of the cylinder block, header and plug 20. The plug 20 is preferably provided with a depending baiiie 44 extending downwardly from the top wall 45 of the plug to a point spaced from the lowermost portion of the jacket portion 23. This baille 44 is preferably oset transversely of the central longitudinal plane containing the cylinder and plug axes towards the intake side of the engine. This construction provides for a more eicient circulation of the cooling medium through the plug 20 and tends to direct the cooling medium in a manner as to more effectively absorb the heat from the bottom portions of the plug. Thus by properly locating the baliie 44 that portion of the plug 20 which tends to overheat may be subjected to a greater amount of the cooling medium by directing the iiow of the cooling medium in such a manner as to cause the same to flow in closer Contact with the critical portion of the plug 20. Due to the fact that the plug 20 is provided with the wall 45 the baille 44 may be located in various positions in accordance with'various conditions encountered in engines of this character, irrespective of the position of the balie or partition wall 40 carried by the header.

Although a construction as shown in the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be incorporated, if desired, in a single cylinder engine, this construction is especially useful in connection with a multi-cylinder engine such as illustrated in generalby Fig. 2.,4 The advantages obtained by use of this construction are more pronounced when the principles of my invention as herein illustrated are employed with a multi-cylinder in line engine since Ythe improvements as described above facilitate the production of such engines and permit the manufacture of -engines with a minimum ofv time and labor. v y l It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

g WhatI claim as my invention is:

1. v1n an engine of the sleeve valve type including a cylinder block having a cylinder and a seat portion, a cylinder head plug for substantially closing the outer open endvof the cylinder and having a shoulder supported by said seat portion, the top face of said plug located substantially `flush with the top face of said block, a jacket'ed header secured to said block and constructed to clamp said plug to the block, said header overlying the cylinder, a yieldable gasket overlying said block and plug and located intermediate the block and plug, and the header, and thrust means adjustably secured to said header and adaptedto 'exert a thrust on said plugfinwardly of said cylinder, said thrust means transmitting. the Vcylinder explosion pressure from said plug to the header.

2. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including a cylinder block provided with a cylinder having a pilot and a seat, a plug for closing the open end of said cylinder and provided with a radially extended pilot portion adapted for engagement'with the cylinder pilot, said extended plug portion providing a 'shoulder adapted for engagement with said seat, and means separate from said plug for seating the shoulder of the plug on said seat, ,said means constructed to "applynpressinjeto said plug-inwardly ofthe pilot portion.v

3.'In an engine of the sleeve valve type including a Acylinder block provided with a cylinder having a pilot and a seat, a plug for closing the 'open end of said cylinder and provided with a radially extended pilot portion adapted for engagement with the cylinder pilot,said extended plug portion providing a shoulder adapted for engagement with said seat, and a header separatey from said plug and overlying the cylinder block and plug, said header secured to said block and constructed for cooperative engagement with said plug radially inwardly of the pilot portion.

4. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including a cylinder block provided with a cylinder having an enlarged bore forming a pilot and a seat, a plug for closing the open end of said cylinder and provided with a radially enlarged pilot portion forming a shoulder adapted for engagement with said seat, the upper face of said plug constructed to lie substantially flush with respect to the top face of said cylinder block, and a header separate from the plug overlying the cylinder block and plug radially and secured to said block, said header constructed for cooperative engagement with said plug inwardly of the pilot portion.

5. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including a cylinder block provided with a cylinder having an enlarged bore forming a pilot and a seat, a plug for closing the open end of said cylinder and provided with 'a radially enlarged pilot portion forming a shoulder adapted for engagement with said seat, the upper face of said plug constructed to lie substantially flush with respect to the top face of said cylinder block, and a header overlying the cylinder block and plug means securing said header to said block, said header constructed for thrusting engagement with said plug radially inwardly of the pilot portion whereby to force said plug shoulder on said seat, said header and plug having jacket portions through which a cooling medium may be circulated and provided with cooperating openings connecting said jacket portions.

6. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including a cylinder block provided with a cylinder having an enlarged bore forming a pilot and a seat, a plug for closing the open end of said cylinder and provided with a pilot portion forming a shoulder adapted for engagement with said seat, the upper face of said plug constructed to lie substantially flush with respect to the top face of said cylinder block, and a header overlying the cylinder block and plug means securing said header to said block, said header constructed for localized thrusting engagement with said plug radially inwardly of the pilot portion, said block and plug each having jacket portions and openings in the top face thereof, said header having a jacket portion and openings cooperating with the openings in the block and plug thereby placing the said jacket portions in communication with each other.

7. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including an engine block provided with a plurality of cylinders each having a seat, a plug associated with and closing the open end of each of said cylinders, each plug adapted for engagement With the seat of the associated cylinder and having a top face constructed to lie substantially ilush with the top face of the cylin der block, and a header secured to said block and overlying said cylinders, and means carried `by saidv header and thrusting locally on said plugs radially inwardly of the respective cylinder seats for urging said plugs to their respective associated seats.

ing said plugs to their respective seats, said thrusting means acting radially inwardly of said cylinder pilots respectively.

9. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including an engine block provided with a plurality of cylinders each having a pilot and a seat, a plug associated with and closing the open end of each of said cylinders and having a radially enlarged portion forming a pilot and a shoulder adapted for cooperative engagement with said cylinder pilot and seat respectively, and a header separate from said plug secured to said block and overlying said cylinders, said header constructed to cooperatively engage said plugs radially inwardly of the plug pilot to clamp the plugs to their respective seats.

l0. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including an engine block provided with a plurality of cylinders each having a pilot and a seat, a plug associated with and closing the open end of each of said cylinders and having a radially enlarged portion forming a pilot and a shoulder adapted for cooperative engagement with said cylinder pilot and seat respectively, the top face of each plug arranged to lie substantially flush with respect to the top face of said cylinder block, and a header separate from said plug secured to said block and overlying said cylinders, said header constructed to cooperatively engage the top face of said plugs radially inwardly of the plug pilot to clamp the plugs to their respective seats.

11. In an engine of the sleeve valve type including an engine block provided with a plurality of cylinders each having a pilot and a seat, a plug associated with and closing the open end of each of said cylinders and having a radially enlarged portion forming a pilot and a shoulder adapted for cooperative engagement with said cylinder pilot and seat respectively, the top face of each plug arranged to lie substantially iiush with respect to the top face of said cylinder block, and a header separate from said plug secured to said block and overlying said cylinders, said header and plug having communicating ico ilo

iis

jacket portions, a gasket disposed intermediate the header and plugs to seal the joint between said header and plug, said header exerting a pressure on said plugs inwardly of their respective pilot portions to clamp the plugs to their respective seats, and devices adjustably secured to said header, each of said devices being adapted for engagement with a plug to maintain same in engagement with its respective seat and prevent the collapsing of said gasket under engine explosion pressure.

l2. In an engine, a cylinder block formed with a cylinder, a plug head depending within said cylinder, said plug and cylinder having cooperating seats, a header overlying said block and plug, means securing the header to the block,

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land means reacting on said header and thrusting j and means reacting on said header and thrusting said plug inwardly of said cylinder, said thrusting means acting on said plug radially within the outward projection of said cylinder.

14. -In an engine, a cylinder block formed with n en' 'a cylinder, a plug head depending within said cylinder, said plug and cylinder having cooperating seats, a header overlying said block and plug, means securing the header to the block,

gasket means intermediate said header and plug,

and means reacting on said header and thrusting said plug inwardly of said cylinder whereby to prevent displacement of said plug under outward pressure exerted thereon by the gases eX- ploded with said cylinder and beneath said plug.

JAMES O. FINK. 

